Under-representation in America: Special Interest Groups, Referendums, and Election Reform

Americans are inadequately represented. Despite being such an important part of political science, social choice theory remains an area of study seldomly incorporated into political dialogue. Special interest groups and gerrymandering insidiously affect political substructures and can have long-lasting impacts. Referendums often produce paradoxical results and frequently fail to satisfy voters. They can also restrict minority rights when political participation is in question. Voting systems around the world have remained unchanged for over two centuries and poorly express voter desires. Improving upon elements encompassed by social choice theory has the potential to ensure more accurate representation. The issue of gerrymandering can be mitigated using new identification and districting methods. Additionally, policy makers should take note that referendums are most useful with single issue topics. Lastly, voting systems like Majority Judgement offer to revolutionize the way voting is accomplished in America. This thesis showcases numerous correlations demonstrating representation shortfalls in each of these areas and details improvements where aspects of these elements can be improved